I enjoy mowing the lawn. At least I enjoy mowing the lawn when I have the time to do it. It is a good thing that I find enjoyment in mowing, as I mow between three and four acres. My lawn mowing has a split personality between the laughable Weed Eater push mower (cost? $20) used for the fenced dog area and trim work, and my tank-like, aging 61-inch Snapper zero turn.
While I have always enjoyed mowing, I can vividly recall one of my lows when trying to sell my old house was a lawn mowing episode. I had just mowed the lawn at my current house, then drove to my old house, despite the threat of intense weather. With less than half of the lawn mowed, torrential rain moved in, drenching me and making mowing more difficult. This deluge spawned the death of my rickety riding lawn mower, resulting in needing to finish the now sodden mowing with the slightly less rickety push mower. This was unfortunately at the same time when selling the old house was seemingly futile - being drenched while finishing upkeep was pouring vinegar on the already distasteful. I finished, but left the for-sale property feeling defeated.
Every problem has a solution and the riding lawn mower was eventually fixed with a very used ignition coil from Ebay. I gave that rider away with the house when it eventually sold.
I took better care of the lawn at the old house, at least by accepted US standards. I used selective herbicides and dutifully fertilized a couple times a year. That house was near a creek, so the "better" care of the lawn may not have been the "better" choice for the overall ecosystem.
In my current house, the only fertilizer is what the dogs contribute and it is far to expansive to pay for even selective use of herbicides.
My neighbor takes his mowing much more seriously than I do. He mows a similar overall amount to mine and seems to mow a section of his yard every few days. This approach probably makes sense, but I can't stand having only part of the lawn mowed. It is likely a character flaw, but when I mow, I wait until it really needs it and mow the whole thing. This approach is probably more economical as well.
Thankfully, the area where I live is very tolerant of many mowing lifestyles - so the fact that my lawn is sometimes long, sometimes scalped, isn't met with any visible disagreement from my few neighbors. Since I often mow when parts of the lawn are very long and potentially wet, it can sometimes "frump" - this is the technical word to describe how the lawn mower will push out a big ball of cut grass, rather than evenly discharging the cut grass.
Even with my tepid care of my grass, I do like the way a freshly cut level lawn looks. And the smell can be intoxicating. The scent of early spring cut onion grass brings faith that winter is releasing its grip.
By this date (August) in most years, rain is diminished, taking frequency of mowing along with it. There have been years when I mowed in late summer, not really to cut the grass as much as to knock down the few high spots of weedy grass and to cut down the Chicory and Queen Anne's Lace, which continue to arrogantly grow long after the lawn has given in.
This year (2015), there seems to be no shortage of rain, and consistent rain. Mowing this year has been a nearly weekly affair. The consistent rain has also created a constant quaggy area in my yard's low lying area. I suspect that old drain tile has plugged as well, resulting in my neighbor's run-off nesting in my yard. I haven't decided yet, if this could be a long term problem or not.
This swampy area, which is impossible to cut, makes me question why I mow at all. In a suburban area, social pressures push to maintain a certain standard, but my far back yard is a hay field, with corn growing north of me and soybeans to the southwest. I suppose keeping the grass cut down for the dogs and to keep ticks and insects at bay makes sense, but I could foresee letting the property go wild, just to see what would happen.
But maybe not. The few nearby vacant houses have turned to mostly stalky weeds, which is unpleasant at best. Areas which are not routinely mowed, or at least brush hogged, end up getting choked up with invasive plants like trumpet vine (attractive, but hard to get rid of), bush honeysuckle (can make a decent screen, but I'm sure this stuff could take over the whole earth), and morning glory (an evil plant if there ever was one). The previously mentioned chicory and Queen Anne's Lace, while not native, do at least have some redeemable qualities.
I have planted many trees in one section of the property, with the hope that one day a forest canopy will evolve, meaning mowing will be only a rare spring need. Realistically this is some way off. My tree care mirrors my lawn care and as a result I have a large group of sad-looking trees that desperately wish to survive beyond their current height of several inches. Many have died, been cut down, only to regrow anew from some remaining roots. The unbelievably strong will to live does not seem to be something possessed only by animals.
Internet searches on the subject show no shortage of sites which suggest the history of lawns go back to elite European estates and lawn care in the United States currently costs billions to maintain. Many of us in our area of the township have donated parts of our yards to local farmers who cut and bail it for hay. I've thought about doing this with more of my property, but indiscriminate agricultural cutting may harm my baby trees, which I do have some emotional attachment to despite their lack of care. I'd also rather not have excessive vehicle pressure over the geothermal or septic system.
I guess I could use some of the property to grow more of my food, but I must be realistic with myself. As much as I like to plant things like tomatoes or pumpkins, my care of them mirrors my lawn and tree care. Once summer turns things hot and humid, nurturing plants with activities like weeding, watering and pest control are less alluring.
Ecologically, a lawn is a pretty dead place unless you include the field mice which make tunnels in the grass in the winter. Along with the rain, the rabbits seem to be doing quite well this year as well.
Despite the expense and questionable utility, mowing acres of grass serves as a satisfying recreational activity. As a task which takes little in the way of mental capacity, it is also good thinking time. And any negative it carries is, frankly, a small price to pay to be away from the concrete jungle of the city or the punky, traffic-infused jungle of the suburbs.
Winter will be here all too soon, bringing with it nostalgia for the past summer's green mowing.
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